Best Fishing Whips (Top Margin Whips In 2024)

Using a fishing whip is a great method to get started in the wonderful world of angling. It isn’t just necessarily a tool for beginners, however. If you enjoy the tactic and the speed and efficiency it brings to fishing then investing in a decent fishing whip is the order of the day. They can also be a cost-effective alternative to a beginner’s pole if you are on a budget.

This guide details 5 of the best fishing whips on the market today. I’ll also talk through what features to look for in a great fishing whip and answer some of the frequently asked questions on the subject.

If you are in a rush , here are the top picks from this article:

• #1. Daiwa Air System
• #2. Drennan Acolyte Pro
• #3. Middy White Knuckle
• #4. Preston Response Whip
• #5. Middy Battlezone

What Makes A Good Fishing Whip

Strength

Fishing whips are designed to be fished close in with speed and efficiency in mind. The caveat to this is if you hook a medium to large fish, they are likely to fight hard and swim as far away as they can in the opposite direction.

With this in mind, it is important that the fishing whip you choose is strong enough to absorb some powerful lunges and turn the fish if it makes an attempt to bolt.

The best fishing whips are strong and often have reinforced joints to be able to compete with larger fish.

Weight

A fishing whip is designed to be held without the use of a rest. For his reason, they need to be lightweight. You don’t want a nice day’s fishing to be tarnished with sore arms for the rest of the week.

The caveat to lightweight materials can sometimes be that they forsake strength. The best fishing whips are both lightweight yet strong and durable.

Length

A fishing whip is designed to be fished close in but at the same time, you don’t want to just be restricted to the first few feet in front of your swim. Sometimes it takes a few feet for the depth of a water to become deep enough to fish effectively.

A good fishing whip has the length to be able to ship your pole float out far enough to give you options without officially becoming a margin pole. You will usually find the best whips for fishing to be around the 8-metre mark, but you will also find some decent ones as short as 4 metres. A lot of the better fishing whips are telescopic so they remain compact and efficient.

Balance

When you are handling a fishing whip for a whole session, you will realise the importance of a well-balanced whip. By well balanced, I mean a subtle, ‘whippy’ type tip with a solid, sturdy base.

A good balance to a fishing whip can help prevent hook pulls and line breaks as well as generally just being more comfortable to fish with.

5 Best Fishing Whips

Daiwa Air System Whip

Daiwa designed this fishing whip to be the perfect way for beginners to learn pole fishing. Whether you want to perfect your match fishing or you feel the pole is the best way for you to enjoy a leisurely day by the lake, this whip is a great place to start. 

The air system whip is 8 metres in length which means it isn’t as unyielding as a pole but still offers plenty of control in lots of fishing situations. Plus, Daiwa has designed this whip to grow with you.

You can use this whip to fish for silvers all day long and practice precise pole fishing. However, as your confidence grows, the carbon technology also allows you to catch larger F1s and carp. Just switch out the elastic and the top sections, and you can fish for anything in the lake. 

The superb bite response, the ease of placing your bait wherever you like, and the solid carbon tip ensure that anyone looking to get into match-style angling will have a blast with this whip. And as your confidence in match fishing grows, this whip will still perform for you.

Key Features

• Solid carbon tip 
•  Three telescopic sections
•  Two spare top kits 

Drennan Acolyte Pro Whip 800

Drennan has used its years of experience in angling to provide the Acolyte pro whip for beginners just getting started in match angling. It is designed to catch silvers all day long while helping you learn how to pole fish properly. 

The 8m whip is telescopic, but the sections can also be removed as you fish, just like a normal, much larger pole. This means you can get used to this fishing technique on a lighter and more manageable setup. 

All of the joints in the whip are reinforced and highly durable. So, while Drennan did design this whip for silver fishing, it can withstand F1s and smaller carp as well. This is an excellent whip to buy if you’re considering getting into pole fishing. It offers an excellent way of learning this angling technique as well as speed fishing which is important in a match fishing situation.

Key Features

• Five take-apart sections 
•  Lightweight, strong and durable
•  Numbered sections for ease 
•  PTFE plugs, bushes and bead 

Middy White Knuckle Whip

While many of the other fishing whips on this list are for beginners to learn how to use a pole, this whip is designed for all anglers. If you’re a beginner learning the ropes of pole fishing, this completely take-apart design will help you learn the tricks of the trade. Yet, pros can use this whip in the margins to land large fish! 

As standard, the Middy white knuckle whip comes with pre-installed elastic that is great for silvers and smaller f1s and carp. However, there is an additional two-piece top kit that is rated for double-figure carp. 

So, this is really a small pole, designed for fishing situations where a pole is needed, but the bank makes it difficult to set one up. Middy says this is designed for margin fishing, and we can certainly see why.

It is perfect for close-quarters striking and battling. However, this margin pole can be a lot more than that too. And this is why it is the best-selling carp whip in the UK. It is arguably the most versatile whip on the market and comes at a fantastic price too. 

Key Features

• 6-metre whip designed for margin fishing 
•  8-10 Hi-Viz elastic pre-installed   
• An additional two-piece top kit included 

Preston Response Whip 

This is a great whip to have in your fishing arsenal. If you’re in a match, having this whip in your artillery can really make the difference. The Preston response whip is perfectly designed for catching large amounts of silvers very quickly. 

The whip is highly responsive to small bites yet very stiff, so you can use a light line and get very good bite indication when you need them most. It is also very lightweight. This means over the session, your arms won’t get tired. However, it also makes playing fish really easy, and, again, the whip is very responsive during the fight. 

Preston says that this is ideal for everything, short and long-range fishing. Now, you won’t be catching monsters on this whip. However, if you’re in a match and the monsters aren’t biting, this whip can allow you to quickly add some weight to your keepnet with silvers.

It offers very precise bait placement and responsiveness that is ideal for bagging loads of smaller fish that can really boost your weights in a match.

Key Features

• High-grade carbon construction 
•  Lightweight, balanced and strong
•  Three sizes to choose from (3m, 4m and 5m)

Middy Battlezone Whip 

If you’ve been struggling to get a feeding frenzy going in your local lake on a rod and reel, this whip can give you the edge that you need. A big reason that many anglers opt for using poles is to present their bait quietly and precisely in the same spot every time. 

Learning to pole fish, though, is tricky and expensive. The Battlezone whip makes it much easier. This is a quality, sturdy, lightweight whip at a very reasonable price. It is so light that a child can use it all day but strong enough to tackle very big fish. 

Because of the budget price, many anglers consider this a brilliant starter whip. The 4m length also makes it a great option for younger anglers to learn how to pole fish. However, this whip will grow with you.

As you learn the tricks of pole fishing, this whip will stay in your fishing arsenal. It is a joy to use in the margins, and you can very quickly get a feeding frenzy going in a fishing situation where other methods can’t. 

Key Features

• 4m telescopic whip
•  Elastic rating of 24 
•  Comes ready to fish with a free pole rig

FAQs

Here are the most common questions I get asked on the subject of fishing whips…

What is the difference between a fishing pole and whip?

A fishing whip is a lot shorter than a pole and is often telescopic so it can remain compact and easy to carry. Whips are designed to be fished close in, along the margins and are often used to target smaller silver fish.

A pole comes in multiple different sections and can be found in lengths up to 16 metres. They are often used by match fishermen due to the speed and fine presentation the tactic allows you to deploy.

How long is a fishing whip?

Fishing whips are most commonly found in lengths between 3 and 8 metres.

How do you cast a whip?

Whips are not designed to be cast as there is no reel used with them. Instead, the float is shipped and then flicked out to your required spot.

Final Thoughts

Fishing with a whip can be great fun and is a really good tactic for kids and/or beginners to the sport. Don’t let this fact lure you into thinking that any old whip will do, however. Choosing a good fishing whip with solid features is really important if you are going to enjoy your fishing and maximise your catch rate.

Hopefully, this guide has provided you with more insight into what to look for in the best fishing whip for your budget and circumstances. If you feel a pole might be better suited to you but you don’t want to break the bank, you can always check out our guide on the best fishing poles under £500 here.

Thanks for reading and best of luck on the bank.